Abstract:

An illuminating device includes a receiving base and at least one light
source. The receiving base has at least one receiving space defined
therein, and at least one fixing post is positioned adjacent to the
corresponding at least one receiving space. The at least one light source
is positioned in the at least one receiving space for emitting light.
Each light source comprises a light-pervious plate and a LED array
located on a side of the light-pervious plate. The light-pervious plate
comprises at least one first through hole with the at least one fixing
post extending therethrough, the light-pervious plate is fixed to the
receiving base in the corresponding receiving space of the receiving
base.

Claims:

1. An illuminating device comprising:a receiving base having at least one
receiving space defined therein, and at least one fixing post being
positioned adjacent to the corresponding at least one receiving space;
andat least one light source positioned in the at least one receiving
space for emitting light, each light source comprising a light-pervious
plate and a LED array located on a side of the light-pervious plate, the
light-pervious plate comprising at least one first through hole with the
at least one fixing post extending therethrough, the light-pervious plate
being fixed to the receiving base in the corresponding receiving space.

2. The illuminating device of claim 1, wherein the receiving base is flat,
and a flange is formed at an edge of the receiving base.

3. The illuminating device of claim 1, wherein the light-pervious plate
has a light incident surface, a light emitting surface adjoining the
light incident surface, and a back surface opposite to the light incident
surface, the LED array is located opposite to the light incident surface
of the light-pervious plate, light emitted from the LED array entering
into the light-pervious plate through the light incident surface.

4. The illuminating device of claim 3, wherein the light emitting surface
includes a plurality of depressions or projections formed thereon.

5. The illuminating device of claim 3, wherein each light source further
comprises a reflective layer placed on the back surface of the
light-pervious plate, and at least one second through hole is defined in
the reflective layer for extension of the fixing post therethrough.

6. The illuminating device of claim 3, wherein each light source further
comprises a rear plate located opposite to the back surface of the
light-pervious plate, and a plurality of third through holes are defined
in the rear plate for extension of the fixing post therethrough.

7. The illuminating device of claim 1, wherein each light source further
comprises an array holder, the LED array is fixed on the light-pervious
plate via the array holder.

8. The illuminating device of claim 7, wherein the array holder has a
U-shaped profile.

9. The illuminating device of claim 7, wherein the array holder includes a
spine and two support walls extending from opposite edges of the spine in
a same direction, the support walls attached to the light-pervious plate
and at least one fourth through hole defined in each support wall for
extension of the fixing post therethrough.

[0004]Light emitting diodes have been widely used in illumination devices
to substitute for conventional cold cathode fluorescent lamps (CCFL) due
to their high brightness, long life-span, and wide color gamut. Relevant
subject matter is disclosed in an article entitled "Solid State Lighting:
Toward Superior Illumination", published in a magazine Proceedings of the
IEEE, Vol. 93, No. 10, by Michael S. Shur et al. in October, 2005, the
disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference.

[0005]A typical illuminating device, such as advertising panel, generally
includes LEDs and a holding base. The holding base comprises a front
plate and a rear plate. The rear plate has a receiving space defined
therein for receiving the LEDs. The rear plate is fittingly fixed on the
front plate to fix the LEDs onto the holding base. However, it is
difficult to remove the LEDs from the holding base once they are
assembled together, so that it is necessary to replace both the LEDs and
the holding base when the LEDs no longer work.

[0006]What is needed, therefore, is an improved illuminating device which
can overcome the above shortcomings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0007]Many aspects of the embodiments can be better understood with
reference to the following drawings. The components in the drawings are
not necessarily drawn to scale, the emphasis instead being placed upon
clearly illustrating the principles of the embodiments. Moreover, in the
drawings, like reference numerals designate corresponding parts
throughout the several views.

[0008]FIG. 1 is an isometric view of an exemplary embodiment of an
illuminating device.

[0009]FIG. 2 is a disassembled, schematic view of the illuminating device
of FIG. 1.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0010]Referring to FIG. 1, an exemplary embodiment of an illuminating
device 10 includes a receiving base 11 and a plurality of light sources
12. In the illustrated embodiment, the illuminating device 10 includes
four light sources 12, for example.

[0011]Referring to FIG. 2, the receiving base 11 is flat, and has four
receiving spaces 110 defined therein in an array, to receive the four
light sources 12 therein respectively. At least one fixing post 111 is
positioned adjacent to the corresponding receiving spaces 110. In
addition, a flange 112 is formed at an edge of the receiving base 11 for
enhancing strength of the receiving base 11.

[0013]The light-pervious plate 120 has a light incident surface 1202, a
light emitting surface 1204 adjoining the light incident surface 1202,
and a back surface 1206 opposite to the light incident surface 1202. The
LED array 121 is located opposite to the light incident surface 1202 of
the light-pervious plate 120, for emitting light into the light-pervious
plate 120 through the light incident surface 1202.

[0014]At least one first through hole 1208 is defined in the closest
region and/or the farthest region of the light-pervious plate 120
relative to the LED array 121. In the illustrated embodiment, the
light-pervious plate 120 has four first through holes 1208, two of them
are positioned on the light-pervious plate 120 adjacent to the LED array
121, and the other two are located on the light-pervious plate 120 away
the LED array 121. All of the four first through holes 1208 extend from
the light emitting surface 1204 to the back surface 1206 and respectively
with the fixing posts 111 of the receiving base 11 extending
therethrough, the light-pervious plate 120 is fixed to the corresponding
receiving space 110.

[0015]The light emitting surface 1204 of the light-pervious plate 120 may
include a plurality of depressions or projections formed thereon, so that
light emitted from the light emitting surface 1204 can be scattered
effectively, and glare avoided. A material of the light-pervious plate
120 is selected from polymethylmethacrylate, poly carbonate, silicone,
epoxy and polycrylate or glass. A plurality of microstructures may be
formed on the light emitting surface 1204 by mechanical grinding,
impression, injection molding etc.

[0016]The light-pervious plate 120 may include a plurality of scattering
particles therein. The scattering particles can be made of TiO2,
SiO2, SiNX, CaF2, BaSO4, ZnO, B2O3,
Nb2O5, Na2O, Li2O, or other suitable materials. The
scattering particles are configured for scattering the light emitting
from the LED array 121, to improve the uniformity of light output by the
illuminating device 10. Alternatively, the light-pervious plate 120 may
include a plurality of defects or pores formed therein by electromagnetic
waves, to scatter the light emitting from the LED array 121.

[0017]A reflective layer 124 may be placed on the back surface 1206 of the
light-pervious plate 120, to reflect the light incident on the reflective
layer 124, to improve light utilization efficiency of the illuminating
device 10. At least one second-through hole 1241 is defined in the
reflective layer 124, for extension of the fixing posts 111 of the
receiving base 11 therethrough, the reflective layer 124 is fixed to the
corresponding light-pervious plate 120.

[0018]The LED array 121 includes a plurality of light emitting diodes 1212
in a linear fashion, which is located opposite to the light incident
surface 1202 of the light-pervious plate 120.

[0019]In the illustrated embodiment, the array holder 122 has a U-shaped
profile, and includes a spine 1220 and two support walls 1221 extending
from opposite edges of the spine 1220 in a same direction. The LED array
121 is placed between the two support walls 1221 and contacts the spine
1220. The support walls 1221 are attached to the light-pervious plate
120. At least one third-through hole 1222 is defined in each support
walls 1221 for extension of the fixing posts 111 therethrough and fixing
the array holder 122 into the corresponding receiving space 110, such
that the LED array 121 can be fixed to face the light incident surface
1202 of the light-pervious plate 120. The array holder 122 may be made of
spring steel, plastic, or other elastic materials.

[0020]The rear plate 123 is located opposite to the back surface 1206 of
the light-pervious plate 120, and the reflective layer 124 is placed
between the rear plate 123 and the back surface 1206 of the
light-pervious plate 120. The rear plate 123 covers the LED array 121 and
the back surface 1206 of the light-pervious plate 120, to protect the
whole light source 12. A plurality of fourth through holes 1231 is
defined in the rear plate 123 for extension of the fixing posts 111 of
the receiving base 11 therethrough, the rear plate 123 is fixed to the
corresponding receiving spaces 110.

[0021]In the present embodiment, the four light sources 12 are
respectively placed in the four receiving spaces 110 of the receiving
base 11; the fourth through holes 1231 of the rear plate 123, the third
through holes 1222 of the array holder 122, the second-through holes 1241
of the reflective layer 124, and the first through hole 1208 of the
light-pervious plate 120 of each light source 12 are respectively with
the fixing posts 111 of the receiving base 11 extending therethrough, so
that every light source 12 can be fixed on the receiving base 11
independently. Once one of the light sources 12 needs to be checked or
serviced, taking this one of the light sources 12 down from the
illuminating device 10 is enough, less infection for the other light
sources 12 can be avoided. In addition, one end of the fixing posts 111
may have screw thread thereon and matching a screw cap, the light sources
12 can be fixed on the receiving base 11 tightly.

[0022]It can be understood that, the light source 12 may includes a
plurality of LED array 121 respectively opposite to surfaces of
light-pervious plate 120 between the light emitting surface 1204 and the
back surface 1206, thus brightness of the light source 12 can be
improved. The receiving base 11 may includes one receiving spaces 110 for
receiving one light source 12. The arrangement of the receiving spaces
110 is not limited to above embodiment, the receiving spaces 110 may be
arranged in other continued fashion.

[0023]It is believed that the present embodiments and their advantages
will be understood from the foregoing description, and it will be
apparent that various changes may be made thereto without departing from
the spirit and scope of the embodiments or sacrificing all of its
material advantages.